Maruja

If there’s one sub-genre in the wide crop of indie music that’s emerged above all else in the 2020s so far, few would argue against it being the ‘Windmill scene’. Named after a now-iconic music venue in Brixton, many bands have amassed an association with the place, including Black Country, New Road; black midi; and Squid. However, perhaps the most interesting band loosely associated with this crop of artists is one that formed long before this ‘scene’ even came to fruition. Four-piece Maruja, who first came together in Manchester back in 2014, are regarded by many as one of the most exciting things in British music. After building up a cult following thanks to online music spaces like Album of the Year and Rate Your Music, as well as music reviewer Anthony Fantano, Maruja have seen an incredible growth over the last two years. All this culminated in what was their biggest ever headline show, the 1,500 capacity Electric Ballroom in London. Few artists dream of playing venues like this on only one album. Even fewer dream of selling it out. Thankfully for the band, those dreams became reality tonight.

Regardless of the 90 minute set consisting of only 10 songs, the band glided through the first 3 at a scary pace. Kicking things off with “Bloodsport”, this song is very much a conventional Maruja song - a fast tempo (led by Jacob Hayes’ ridiculous drumming), saxophone licks, as well as frontman Harry Wilkinson’s booming spoken word vocals. One complaint many had of the band during their early run of EPs was they were afraid they were too one-dimensional and ‘samey’. If anything, the next song of the night “Trenches” couldn’t be any more of an opposite. This song delves into more of a rap-jazz fusion, and yet despite this, it still delivers the same level of emphatic energy as all the other tracks they’re best known for.

The breakout single from their 2023 EP “Knocknarea”, “Thunder”, is still undoubtedly one Maruja’s best tracks, made even more effective by saxophonist Joe Carroll’s engaging crowd work. Splitting the audience in half all the way down to the mixing deck, Joe jumps into the pit letting out a battle cry: “Are you ready London?!?!” - London was indeed ready. A hurtling wall of collision, combining the aggressive post-punk shoving with hardcore moshing. You’d have hoped you weren’t wearing many layers of clothing given how sweaty and hot it got at times. Despite this early run of almost restless vitality, the 10 minute sprawling journey of “Born to Die” follows, a song that very strongly reflects how much the band have improved over the last few years. One thing that was immediately noticeable was just how incredible Harry Wilkinson’s live vocals were tonight, given how much the band have been touring over the past few months. In fact, it wouldn’t be absurd to think that his live vocals are even better than the studio recording. Heck, the entire band’s live sound itself is a step above what you hear on record.

For me, the thing that was most touching was how the band encouraged turning the pain and violence that many of us feel into love and affection. “The Invisible Man” is a powerful yet poignant song about the struggles of mental health and isolation, executed so brilliantly in a live setting thanks to the band’s tight-knit nature - a special mention warranted for bassist Matt Buonaccorsi, who pulls every facial expression imaginable while continually remaining a badass on the strings. Many would think the band would close the set with “Look Down On Us”, the lead single from “Pain to Power”, their debut album, but this serves as the penultimate track. In a way, it’s the band’s last message of the night, all about how we can turn the greed of hierarchical tyrannies and oppressive regimes into a message of hope and optimism. It’s something the band has always stood for, which is why there is no need to question their authenticity or morality. While a few had left by the time they closed out the set with the instrumental track “Resisting Resistance”, they stayed long enough to hear a powerful speech by Harry about ending genocide and despotism, especially in countries like Palestine and Sudan which need it most. Tonight highlighted that Maruja really are a band with a lot to love about them. Their viewpoint on society is one that many aspire to hold, and while critics may complain about an overt arrogance, they are so ridiculously good that they can get away with just about anything.